The Doctor's Diamond Proposal. Annie Claydon

scarf off.

      Finally, she put the envelope on her desk, still sealed. She’d wanted to look inside, but wanted even more to show Leo that she understood that he’d trusted her, and that she’d taken that seriously. Sitting down, she surveyed her handiwork. The place didn’t look too bad at all. Apart from Rhona’s mug... Alex got to her feet, grabbing the mug from the tray and hiding it in her desk drawer. Leo didn’t need to come face to face with a row of stick figures demonstrating the fourteen most popular positions from the Kama Sutra.

      ‘You call this accessible?’ He appeared suddenly in the doorway, tall and lean, dressed in jeans and a heavy sweater under his jacket.

      ‘No. We call it cheap.’ She returned his grin. He must have walked straight past the receptionist downstairs, found his way to the lift and then up the flight of narrow stairs on his own. Breezing in as if he owned the place seemed to come as second nature to Leo.

      ‘I brought provisions.’ He set a brown paper carrier bag down on the desk.

      Alex peered into the bag and drew out a large polystyrene container, peeling back the lid. ‘Don’t tell me you made this yourself.’

      He chuckled. ‘What do you think I am? Of course I didn’t; I stopped off at a place I know.’

      ‘Who just happen to do the best French onion soup in town?’ It smelled gorgeous.

      ‘Debatable. They’re in the running, but tell me what you think.’

      She fetched paper napkins for the crusty, fresh baked bread and Leo tore open the manila envelope. They reviewed the list while they ate.

      ‘That’s a good question...’ She tapped the paper with her finger. ‘I should have said a bit more about how we weight our races so that everyone has a fair chance.’

      ‘He’s a regular caller. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t call again next Monday; I’ll let the call-handlers know we want to talk to him.’

      ‘Can you do that?’ Alex had supposed that everyone just waited in line.

      ‘We do it all the time. It’s a radio show; we balance the calls to provide the best broadcast we can...’ He caught sight of Alex’s frown of disappointment. ‘Don’t do that to me.’

      ‘What?’

      ‘That disapproving face. Look, I know what you’re thinking...’

      ‘No, you don’t.’

      In the sudden silence, Alex could hear the chair creak as Leo leaned back in it. ‘You’re thinking that this is all about heightening awareness and reaching people who need the service you offer. Not about making good listening while people do the washing-up.’

      That was exactly what she was thinking. Maybe not quite in those words; Leo had put it much more succinctly than she could have done. ‘And if I was thinking that?’

      ‘If you were, I’d tell you that my world’s different from yours. For me, it has to be all about ratings, and making sure that the show’s popular enough to survive. Being realistic is what makes me good at what I do.’

      Why did he have to do this? Every time Leo did something nice, he devalued it, pretended that it was all self-serving. Or maybe he was just being honest. Maybe she was just looking for something in him that was no longer there.

      ‘So you’re really just a cynic?’ He wasn’t. She knew he wasn’t, or what would he be doing here, calling people back? Why had he guarded the list so jealously?

      ‘Yeah.’

      ‘I don’t believe you.’ Alex felt herself redden.

      ‘That’s because you’re an idealist.’ He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out his phone and propping it on the desk between them. ‘Which is what makes you so good at what you do, and exactly why you’re the best person to help me with these calls.’

      * * *

      Perhaps he’d gone a little too far. Alex had seemed ready to shake him, until she heard what she wanted to hear. But that wasn’t what Leo was prepared to give.

      It would be so easy, so very pleasurable, to indulge the connection between them. To reach out and touch her, knowing that their hearts weren’t so very different. He wanted that, and he had a good idea that Alex did too, but if he felt her softness he’d be unable to stop.